2001 Trimbach, Frederic Emile Riesling 1x750ml

Vinous 93+

(12.7% alcohol; 7.9 g/l total acidity; 3.11 pH; 1.6 g/l residual sugar): Bright golden yellow. Ripe aromas of riesling with a little bottle age: hints of diesel fuel join yellow peach, blood orange, lemon drop, gin, powdered stone and licorice. Enters rich and dense, almost fat, then rising, harmonious acidity frames the honeyed citrus, dried apricot and ginger flavors. This is much less floral than the Clos Ste. Hune of the same vintage. The long finish features persistent notes of yellow peach and beeswax. Though this is very accessible already, it will improve further in a good cellar, entering its optimal drinking window in a few years and giving great pleasure for another two decades after that. Ten days of fog late in the season allowed for the production of great noble rot-affected wines in 2001, not unlike those of 1967, but the Cuvee Frederic Emile is devoid of any botrytis-derived aromas or flavors. The grapes for this wine are usually harvested by October 20th, but in 2001 Trimbach picked until mid-November. Readers should note that a special 375th anniversary bottling of this wine was also produced in 2001. It’s even deeper and more structured than this regular bottling, but it carries a hint of residual sweetness that, in my view, detracts from the classicism and purity for which the Cuvee Frederic Emile has become famous. [Ian D’Agata, 09/01/2013]